Automobile.



I PATENTBDAPR. 11, 1905.. I EvTL-MCKAIG V v AUTOMOBILE.

APPLICATION FILED 8BPT.10, 1904.

2 SHEETS SHE-I IT 1.

UNITED STATES Patented. April 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDDY T. MoKAIG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MoKAICr FRIC- TIONDRIVE VEHICLE CO., OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A COR- PORATION OF THEDISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AUTOMOBILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,916, dated April11, 1905. Application filed. September 10, 1904. Serial No. 224,011.

To all whom, it may concern' Be it known that I, EDDY T. MOKAIG, acitizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois,have

invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobiles, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact specification. I

My invention relates to the driving and steering mechanisms ofautomobiles and other 1 like vehicles, and more especially to that typeof such mechanisms in which the transmission of power to the axle ordriving-wheels is effected through the frictional action of a pulleyhavingits periphery engaging two oppositelyrotating disks; and myinvention has for one of its objects to provide improved means fordriving in either direction and at a desired speed without the aid ofthe compensating or equalizing gears heretofore employed.

2' Another object of my invention is to provide improved means fortransmitting the power from bothsides of thedriving-pulleysimultaneously and utilizing the outer edges of the driven disks for thelow speed and also increasing the pressure of the disks against thepulley at will when the device is required to do extra hard service.

With these ends in View my invention consists in certain features ofnovelty in the con- 0 struction, combination, and arrangement of partsby which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafterappearing are attained, all as fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figurel is a plan View of an automobile-chaiseprovided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of amodification. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2; andFig. it is a longitudinal section on the line 4 i, Fig. 2.

In applying my invention to an automobile of the modern type Ipreferably mount the power-transmitting mechanism on a separate frame,which is shown as of a rectangular form and secured in any suitable wayacross the main frame 2 of the running-gear, which latter is or may besupported, as usual, upon explosion-engine 9.

the front and rear axles 3 4, the former of which is provided with usualsteering-wheels 5 .5, connected thereto by suitable steeringknuckles 6,while the latter axle has drivingwheels 7, (shown as rigidly secured tothe axle in a well known way;) but it would of course be no departurefrom this invention to journal the wheels 7 loosely upon the axle 4- andprovide each wheel with appropriate connection with thepower-transmitter in the manner well known in this art. In thisparticular example of the invention, however, the axle 41s shown as alive axle with the power-transmitting connections secured directly to itin the ordinary way.

8 is a driving-shaft extending longitudinally of the main frame 2 andderivingits 5 motion from any suitable motor, such as an This shaft isshown as mounted upon the frame 1 in suitable bearings or boxes 10, andmounted thereon is a driving-pulley 11, which is providedwith any 7suitable connection with the shaft that'will enable the pulley to slidelongitudinally of the shaft while rotating in unison therewith. As anexample of such connection, I have shown a'spline 12, over which a hub13 onpulley 11 slides; but the term spline or splined therein may beregarded as generic to any other expedient for accomplishing thedescribed action of the pulley. The hub 13 of the pulley is formed witha groove 14:, in which engages a yoke 15, connected by suitable means toan operating device under the control of the operator, so that theposition of the pulley 11 with reference to the length of the shaft 8may be under the con- 5 trol of the operator at all times. Thisconnection may consist of a rod 16, pivotally secured to yoke 15 at oneend and at the other end to the lower end of a hand-lever 17 pivoted onany suitable support 18, mounted in 9 any convenient place. Mounted onopposite sides of the pulley 11 are two driven disks 19 20, with thefaces of which the periphery of the pulley engages, so that the rotationof the pulley will effect a rotation of the disks 19 20 in oppositedirections. These disks are provided with shafts 21 22, respectively,which are mounted in journal-boxes 23 2 1, the former of which arearranged on the ends of the frame 1, while the latter are arranged oncross bars or braces 25, secured to said frame 1 or other convenientsupport, and the shafts 21 22 are slidable longitudinally in theirrespective bearings, so that either or both of the disks 19 20 may becarried out of contact with the pulley 11, thereby rendering either orboth of said disks inert and permitting the engine and pulley tocontinue in operation without transmitting power to the ground ordriving wheels. In order that the disks may be pressed against theperiphery of the pulley 11 with sufficient force to transmit the power,the shafts 21 22 are provided with grooved shoulders 26, in which engagepins or other suitable devices 27, secured to two levers 28 29,respectively, the latter being pivoted at 30 to the frame 1 at theirrear ends and connected together at their forward ends by any suitableconnection comprising an elastic medium, such as a spring 31. Theconnection shown consists of a rod 32, pivoted to lever 29 and connectedto one end of spring 31, while the other end of spring 31 is secured toan adjusting-screw 33, threaded in a lug 34 on lever 28, so that thetension of the spring, and consequently the pressure of the disks 19 20on the pulley, may be varied if necessary. In order that both levers2829 may be thrown apart simultaneously when it is desired to renderboth disks 19 2O inertat such times, for example, as when it may bedesired to stop the vehicle or to start the motor the forward end of thelever 28 is pivoted to a rod 35 at one end and to one arm of a bellcrank lever 36 at the other end, and this bellcrank lever is pivoted tothe other lever 29 and connected by a rod 37 to a pedal or foot lever37, so that by pressing the latter the disks 19 20 will be thrown apart,and when the pressure of the foot is released from pedal 38 the spring31 will again draw the disks inwardly against the pulley 11.

Inasmuch as the action of the pulley 11 drives the disks 19 20 inopposite directions, it is necessary to provide one of the disks withback-gearing connection with the driving axle or wheels. Consequentlythe shaft 21 is shown with a gear 39 meshing with a gear 4L0 on acounter-shaft 4:1, and to this counter-shaft is secured a sprocket 12,over which the chain 43 runs for imparting the motionto the axle 4,which may be provided with two chainwheels 44 15, one for the chain 43and the other for another chain 46, which transmits the motion of shaft22 to axle 4: through the intermediary of sprocket 47, any other'suitable connections, however, being substituted for these chains andsprockets, if desired.

With the construction described it will be seen that the machine attainsits slowest speed and greatest power when the pulley 11 is at the outeredges of the disk in the position shown in the drawings, and thegreatest speed is attained when the pulley 11 is near the center of thedisks; but when it is on the deadcenter there is no speed at all, and inorder that it may not unduly wear while passing the center in the act ofreversing the centers of the disks may be hollowed out, as shown at 1920, respectively, and in order that the pressure of the disks againstthe pulley 11 may be greatly augmented at the will of the operator whenthe pulley is at the outer edges of the disks a pressure-idler 18 ismounted behind, so as to press against each of the disks. These idlersare journaled loosely upon rods or levers H pivoted at their inner endsto the boxes 24, respectively, and at their outer ends to a rod 19 and abell-crank lever 50, respectively, one end of the rod 19 being pivotedto an arm of the bell-crank, while the other arm of the bell-crank,which is elongated, may be placed under the control of the operator byany suitable means, such as a rod 51, extending forward to a foot-lever52 or other suitable means of operation, so that at the desired time thedisks may be pressed firmly against the pulley. This requires verylittle movement of the idlers 18, and when the foot is released frompedal 52 their pressure against the disks will cease; but, if desired,they may be drawn away from the disks by springs 53.

It is well understood that in turning corners the inside ground-wheelsturn slower than the outside wheels, and in order to permit of thisunequal speed of the wheels the compensating gear has been employed; butwith my invention instead of employing such compensating gear I providemeans whereby one of the disks 19 20 is rendered inert, preferably bymoving it out of contact with the pulley 11 at such times when thisunequal speed of the ground -\vheel occurs, so that one of theground-wheels can run freely and independently of the other one, andconsequently prod uces no undue friction of the disk against the pulley11 nor causes either of the groundwheels to slide. disks at such timesis preferably ell'ected automaticall y with the operation of thesteering mechanism; but at the same it is desirable that the operationof the steering mechanism be inefiectual to cause this release of thedisks exceptingwhen the turn is suiiieiently abrupt to cause a materialvariation in the speed of retation of the ground-wheels. In order toaccomplish these objects, .I have provided the shaft or stem 54 of thesteering-wheel, which is shown in dotted lines at 55,with a pinion 5(3,meshing with a sliding rack-bar 57, said rackbarbeing mounted in akeeper or guide 58, having any suitable form of support, not necessaryto illustrate, and to one end of this rackbar is pivoted a connection59, which extends to one of the steering-lmuckles 6, while to the otherend is pivoted a link or connection (51),

This release of one of the which is secured to one arm,'61, of abell-crank lever pivoted to the frame 1 and having its other arm, 62,pivoted to a cross-bar 63, which extends loosely through a support 64and has two shoulders 65 66 arranged to engage with the levers 28 29,respectively, when the rackbar 57 is reciprocated; but in order thatsliding movements of said rack-bar occasioned by the usualsteering ofthe machine may not affect the pressure of the disks 19 20 against thepulley 11 the shoulders 65 66 are arranged steering-wheel 55 is rotatedfor turning the machine to the right, for example, the rackbar 57 willbe pushed forwardly, and the shoulder 66 will be carried against thelever 29, thereby releasing the disk 20 from pulley 11 and allowing thedisk 20 to rotate at a slow rate of speed in harmony with the insidedriving-wheel 7, while the propulsion of the machine is maintained bythe other disk, whose pressure against the pulley 11 is augmented bythisincreased pull on the spring 31.. When the steering-wheel 55 isturned in the opposite direction, the disk 19 will be similarly thrownout of action or rendered inert by the shoulder 65. It is ofcourseunderstood, however, that when either disk'is thus disengagedfromthe driving-pulley the idlers 48 must be .free to oscillate outwardly ontheir vibratory rods 41 The outer ends of these rods are shown asmounted in sliding keepers 67 on the frame 1.

In Figs. 2 to 4 is shown modification in which the levers 28 29 areconnected to a sliding rod 63 by any suitable elastic or yielding means,such as two springs 31, and this rod 63 is connected to the arm 62 ofthe bell crank lever, whose other arm 61 is connected to the 'rearend ofrod 60, as before explained, so that when rod is moved back and forththe bar 63 will be reciproca'ted and the levers 28 29 alternatelyapplied and released. The

connected to the levers 28 29 by means of lugs 69-011 said levers andthreaded rods 33 passingtherethrough and having nuts 70, whereby theresistance of the springs may be changed to cause more or less pressureof the disks 19 20 against pulley 11. The bar 63 may be supported in anysuitable manner, as by means of blocks or hangers 71, arranged on theunder sides of the levers 28 29 and through which hangers bar 63 slides.With this modification the springs 31 may be so adjusted that when oneof the levers 28 29 is thrown outwardly by the act of turning thesteering-wheelit need not be carried so far as to relieve the disk 19 or20 entirely from contact with the pulley 11, and the disk on the otherside will have its pressure against the pulley correspondinglyincreased. At the same time it will be observed that during the usualmovements of the steeringwheel in turning gradual curves of a radius sogreat as to render it unnecessary to make any material difference in thespeed of rotation of the two traction-wheels the pressure of the disksagainst pulley 11 will not be materially affected. This elasticconnection, however, does not interfere with the operation of the levers28 29 in unison by the bell-crank 36 and rod 35, as before explained,the springs 31 and connected parts serving merely to release or relievethe disks 19 20 independently thatis, releasing oneor relieving itwithout relieving or releasing the other-while the bellcrank 36 and rod35 are utilized for throwing the disks in or out in unison when it isdesired to shift the pulley or to stop.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newtherein, anddesire to secure-by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automobile, the combination of a motor, a-driving-shaftconnected thereto, a driving-pulley splined on said shaft, two opposeddriven disks engaging opposite sides of said pulley,longitudinally-movable shafts on which said disks are mountedrespectively,

a driving-axle connected directly with one of said shafts,acounter-shaft geared to the other of said shafts, and connecteddirectly with the driving-axle, pivoted levers for sliding said shaftsrespectively, and means for operating said levers in unison orindependently.

2. In an automobile, the combination of a motor, a driving-shaftconnected therewith, a driving-pulley splined on said shaft, two opposeddriven disks movable toward and from each other and engaging said pulleyon opposite sides, two pivoted levers operatively connected with saiddisks respecti'velyfor increasing and decreasing their pressure againstsaid pulley, elastic means for pulling said levers toward each other, abell-crank pivoted to one of said levers, a rod pivoted to one arm ofsaid bell-crank at one end and at the other end to the other of saidlevers, an operating ing with said disks, a shaft on which said pulleyis mounted, two idlers arranged behind said disks respectively, pivotedlevers on which said idlers are mounted, and means for moving saididlers toward and from each other.

4. In an automobile, the combination of two opposed disks movable towardand from each other, a pulley arranged between said disks and engagingtherewith, a shaft on which said pulley is mounted, two idlers arrangedbehind and adapted to engage said disks respective] y, pivoted levers onwhich said idlers are mounted, a bell-crank pivoted to one of saidlevers and having one of its arms connected to the other of said levers,and means connected with the other arm of said bell-crank foroscillating the bell-crank.

5. In an automobile, the combination of driving-wheels, a steeringmechanism, a powertransmitter comprising two independently-operatingmembers, means for driving said members singly and also simultaneously,operative connections between said members and driving-wheels, and meansfor rendering said members alternately inert by opposite movements ofthe steering mechanism, the last-said means being so constructed as toallow the steering mechanism to move throughout a part of its throwwithout rendering said members inert.

6. In an automobile, the combination ofdriving-wheels,asteeringmeehanism,apowertransmitter comprising twoindependently-operating members, means for driving said members singlyand also simultaneously, operative connections between said members anddriving-wheels, and means comprising a lostmotion connection forrendering the said members alternately inert by opposite movements ofthe steering mechanism, when the steering mechanism is moved beyondcertain points.

7. In an automobile, the combination of driving-wheels, a steeringmechanism, a powertransmitter comprising two independently-operatingmembers, means for driving said members singly and also simultaneously,operative connections between said members and driving-wheels, meanscomprising pivoted levers for alternately rendering said members inert,a rod having a limited movement independently of said levers, means onsaid rod for engaging and oscillating said levers respectively when therod is moved in opposite directions beyond a certain point, and anoperative connection between said rod and the steering mechanism.

8. In an automobile, the combination of drivingwhcels,a steeringmechanism,a powertransmitter comprising two driven disks, and means fordriving said disks, said disks being movable toward and from each otherso as to engage and disengage said driving means, two shifting membersoperatively connected with said disks for respectively shifting them outof contact with said driving means, means for elastically drawing saidshifting members together, a connection extending between said shiftingmembers and comprising two shoulders arranged at a distance from both ofsaid shifting members and adapted to engage them respectively, and meansfor throwing the lastsaid connection in opposite directions by oppositemovements of the steering mechanism.

9. In an automobile, the combination of a motor, a driving-shaftconnected thereto, a driving-pulley sl idably connected to said shaft,two opposed driven disks engaging the opposite sides of said pulleysimnltaneously, longitudinally-movable shafts on which said disks aremounted respectively, d riving-wheels, one of which is connecteddirectly with one of said disks, a counter-shaft geared to the other oneof said shafts and connected directly with the other one of thedriving-wheels, and means for sliding said longitudinally-moval)leshafts in either direction simultaneously or independently.

10. In an automobile, the combination of two opposed disks movabletoward and from each other, a pulley arranged between and engaging withsaid disks, a shaft on which said pulley is mounted, two idlers arrangedbehind said disks respectively in such a position that each of the diskswill be between the inner edge of one of the idlers and one edge or sideof said pulley, said idlers being movable toward and from said disks,and means under the control of the operator for thus moving the saididlers.

11. In an automobile, the combination of two opposed disks movabletoward and from each other, a pulley arranged between and engaging saiddisks, a shaft on which said pnlley is mounted, two pivoted leversconnected with said disks res iiectively, a spring connecting saidlevers together, a lever pivetally mounted on one of said first levers,a rod connecting one arm of the last-said lever to .the other of thefirst-said levers, and means under the control of the operator connectedto the other arm of said pivotallymounted lever.

EDDY 'I. MCKA l( i.

\Vitnesses:

FRANCIS A. I'IOPKIN'S, M. B. ALLSTADT.

